That For Which My Heart Aches
by Aalys Roseate
Summary: Hikaru, Umi and Fuu are summoned yet again to another world, one that isn't Cephiro! Torn from their mission by grief and heartache, will they be able to stop its very magic from unraveling? Simultaneously, a new knight is summoned to Cephiro, but why?
1. Prelude

Three years had passed since the Magic Knights were last summoned to the magical land known as Cephiro.

There, they were called upon to save the planet's beloved princess, Emeraude. Yet, as the tragic truth behind the magnificent weapons and armor unveiled itself, the hearts of the three young maidens beat deeply in sorrow. The Pillar may not kill herself, nor can any living soul within the land harm her; thus, only one choice was left: the Legendary Magic Knights. It was their duty to safeguard the land, specifically by killing the pillar if circumstances proved extreme. Their task sorrowfully completed, the three girls were sent home to Tokyo, nursing the memories of the foreign but now painfully familiar land.

A second time the three knights were summoned, but by a mysterious force which seemed to have connection to Cephiro. The pillar-less land was left in ruins. Now, the three girls vowed to defend the land against the three surrounding countries of Autozam, Chizeta, as well as Fahren, whose armies were sent to invade and later take advantage of the pillar system of Cephiro. As the hour of fate drew closer, the knight of fire and the prince of Autozam took part in the cataclysmic battle that would change their worlds. The choosing of the Pillar was an event far beyond any of their imaginations. The woman whose dominion originally was limited to fire emerged, now the Pillar of the beautiful country. With her first prayer, she abolished the pillar system and brought peace to Cephiro and all its inhabitants.

Yet, her reign was short, and she was sent back to her homeland with her two companions. There, they rested 'till they would be needed once again. 'Till another time of crisis in Cephiro...


	2. Act 1 Scene 1

She threaded her silky crimson hair through her fingers, trying to piece together shattered pieces of her memory. Years had passed since Hikaru last set foot on the planet of Cephiro; so many of her memories had become fragments, tarnished and grey with age. Although she had won Cephiro back for its people, she could not help but miss each and every one. She loved all who had helped her on that precious journey, but only one caused the throbbing pain of a broken heart. Hikaru was the strongest among all five surrounding worlds, but neither physical power nor will could defeat love and the accompanying symptoms. Her inner fire was slowly being consumed by the ever-greater blaze of passion. She toyed with the notion of death just as her hands fussed with the longest strands of her hair – the thought twisted itself around her finger, traveled up her arm and reached her neck. In her mind's eye, she saw herself hanging from her own blood-red hair, limbs dangling like a mobile. Never had she believed that there was any emotion that could torment her so.

She pondered why she knew only of the sad times in Cephiro, and why not the many times of joy she had shared with her dearest friends. But even now, at age eighteen, her heart beat out of place when she thought of her beloved, Lantis. She could only envision his face now, but she was sure that if she were to see him, she would recognize the man instantly. Of what she could remember, his dark indigo eyes stood out most starkly. When she had looked at them, she had to look past the ebony hair that kept his most expressive features hidden. Her mind lingered on the thought of his happiness. Only twice had she seen his hard stare soften into a passionate look of love. His brows were always furrowed together, his consciousness distant, deep in thought.

The tears erupted, despite the blood that dripped slowly from her lips. This was not the first time she had been moved to this state by the past. Quite the opposite, in fact. Her insomnia was fueled by loneliness, and recurring nightmares made her dread the time she did manage to fall asleep. If it weren't for her two friends, Umi and Fuu, she would have already fallen into despair. The two other knights who accompanied her on both trips to the fantastic land were dear friends. Nothing would ever impede their friendship; no diamond could cut the bonds of their love.

"Miss Hikaru, may I come in?" asked a familiar voice, breaking Hikaru from her train of thought.

"Sure, Fuu-chan." Although she had received a curt response, Fuu knew her best friend was silently pleading to be comforted. With only a sliding door of her authentic-style house between them, she could see Hikaru's silhouette sitting outside the doorway that led from her room to the courtyard of the dojo. Her feet danged off the edge; she was leaning back to support herself with her hands.

"Ne, Fuu-chan, I can't take it," Hikaru confided. "Despite the future that glimmers in front of me, I can only think backwards. I dunno what's wrong with me... ever since the gateway closed, I can't focus on anything but them," Hikaru said softly, hoping her blond friend would help once more. Fuu wasn't fooled by the vagueness of the pronouns. Her own soul reached our in vain for the love of her life, Ferio.

"Miss, I know you still worry about those residing in Cephiro, but please do not forget that you are not the only one. I, too, have them embedded in my dreams, my thoughts, my very essence. These memories are precious, you realize. They have made us who we are, and have shaped us into strong willed, mature women" Fuu paused for a second, finding the right words with which to comfort the red-head. "We are the Legendary Magic Knights of Cephiro. We will someday go there again; it is only a matter of time, I am sure."

The flow of tears lessened. Somehow, Fuu could always inspire new hope. "Thank you, Fuu," she said gratefully and stood up. She opened the sliding door and gave Fuu a quick yet meaningful hug. "Let's get Umi and go to Tokyo Tower. It's the longest day of the year and we gotta enjoy the summer light while we can," she said with a smile.

"Of course," Fuu agreed, "Exactly my own thoughts." Fuu smiled as she closed her eyes in a reassuring way. The two stood up, and walked back through Hikaru's room to the hallway.

"Let's go then, Fuu!" Hikaru nodded, braiding her hair quickly and sliding shut the paneled door with a final thud.

* * *

Umi was waiting for Fuu at the entrance to the kendo dojo. Her hair was slowly turning the wind, almost as if the cyan strands were dancing in a foreign ballet. She looked at the sun which was now lower in the sky, but still high enough to produce the same amount of brightness it had all day long. As she saw Hikaru and Fuu walking through the courtyard, she quickly ran to greet them. Although she was carrying a box with a small cake in it, she still managed to reach them in record time. 

"Heya! Sorry I'm late," she apologized quickly, although was hesitant to continue. A little smile from Hikaru meant that all was well and that they should proceed onwards.

"I brought some home-made cake, if you wanna stop and sit before we go back or something," Umi said, shifting the load from one hand to another. She looked at Fuu, who was losing weight day by day. "Fuu, I think you should eat some, really. You look terrible."

"I am quite well, Umi-san. Although I appreciate the fact that you were concerned" Fuu nodded her head.

Hikaru finally spoke up, and cleared the last of her eyes of the tears. "I guess I was silly, being unhappy on such a glorious day! I should have remembered that I had my best friends who are here for me always!" she said, laughing at herself. She grinned, and walked, a hop in her step, with her companions to the tower at which they had first met.

* * *

Kyoku found the day to be dragging on, as she always found, but more so than usual on this long, summer day. Walking home from the park, it seemed that there were so many young children holding their parents hands. It made her feel uncomfortable, to say the least. 

Her thoughts turned to dinner this evening, and what she would need to buy at the connivance store for the meal she would make. The only thing she felt like cooking tonight was ramen for her and her alone. She didn't want to have to cook for the spoiled brat Shinji, or for her "parents". She wanted a vacation from her family life; a vacation of the permanent sort.

One of her dear friends, Yuu, had asked her if she had considered running away. Kyoku knew Yuu loved her dearly as a friend and did not want to see Kyoku leave. But she had to be honest to her friend, and told her that she was genuinely considering running away. She needed to leave Tokyo, somehow. He felt it extremely important to get away north, to Hokkaido, where she had spent much of her childhood.

When she came out of her dream-like state walking the streets of Tokyo, she found herself at the same park she had spent the afternoon at. The children were gone, but the close-by Tokyo Tower was still admitting tourists and observers. For whatever reason, she felt compelled to buy a ticket with the remnants of her meager allowance and waited in line with her bag slung over for the tickets and then for the elevator.

* * *

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu stood together at the tower in silence. They had tried for the past three years to come back, but it seemed the path between Cephiro and this world had been locked tight. 

Each of the girls bowed their heads, closed their eyes and hoped and prayed for something to happen. They held hands, comforting one another, feeling the pain as minutes went by and nothing happened, even as they begged in their minds to return to Cephiro.

_Ferio, please rescue me again. Now, more than ever, I need to escape from this dreary city... I must see you!_ Fuu pleaded in her mind.

_Your smiling face, Clef, always made me so happy. Please, I gotta return to you and the rest of the gang!_ Umi cried out silently.

_Lantis... I realized you loved me only after fighting some of the darkest battles of my life, but I am so sure about my feelings. I hope you can forgive me for all that I've put you through. I have to apologize! Forgive me, and tell me again that you love me… please!_ Hikaru was now crying, and did not care if others noticed the beads of tears streaking down her tan face.

* * *

By sunset, Kyoku was on the higher of the two observation towers, but now she saw a light that was too fierce to be reflecting off of one of the many buildings. Blinded, she tried in vain to block the light with her hands and forearms, but found her vision was still filled with white.

* * *

It was then, that Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu's closed eyes were now suddenly brightened. They could see the red of their flesh and quickly opened their eyes. The white light blinded them, and it was just as hard to see as when they had their eyes closed. Their bodies felt as if they were soaring like birds, then diving down to the ground. They blinked and found that they had melted through the tiled floor and were now flying towards a landscape filled with emerald green plains, sapphire skies, and a ruby-bright sun. Could it be Cephiro!? 


End file.
